The Twins At Malory Towers
by Dolphin Sea Pony
Summary: What will happen when the twins and their friends are sent off to Malory Towers? What is wrong with Peggy How did Gwen get into the Pantomime? I have tried to make this a bit Enid Blyton style. Please Read and Review!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Malory Towers books by Enid Blyton or St Clares. The only character I own is Peggy and she has not yet come into the story.**

**_This is my first ever fanfiction. I would like you to review please. With lots of helpful comments I can make this the best story ever. If you have only read either Malory Towers or St Clares please comment to tell me if I should explain the personalities of the characters so you know who everyone is. Thank you to phasmidfan, my beautiful sister, who edited this by proof-reading and helping me post (fanfiction's hard if you don't know how to use it). I was very much inspired by phasmidfan's 'The Fifth Form Again At Malory Towers'. If you like this story, I highly reccomend that story. Please enjoy!_**

"What's that letter, Daddy?" Isabel O'Sullivan asked. Her dark head bobbed over her father's shoulder as she tried to read the printed note in his hand. "It's from Saint Clare's! Whatever happened?"

"There's been a fire at Saint Clare's," Mr O'Sullivan said grimly. Patricia, or Pat, who was Isabel's identical twin, gasped in horror.

"Is it entirely burned down?" she demanded. "Is it? Is it?"

"It's fine, Pat," Isabel said, scanning the letter quickly. "It says that it will only be being repaired this term and the next. Then we can go back. And there's a list of schools down the bottom. These are the schools that are open for Saint Clare's girls to go to temporarily."

Pat sat back in her chair, looking down at her breakfast. "And where are we going?" she asked. "Sky Hill? Malory Towers?"

"I once knew a girl who went to Malory Towers, and she turned out to be a perfectly wonderful girl. You'll go there." Mr O'Sullivan began to draft out a letter. "Oh- here's another letter from your little friend Janet's mother! Some girls- Janet, Kathleen, Doris and Hilary are going to Malory Towers as well. Are they friends of yours?"

"Janet isn't little!" Isabel cried. "When do the hols end, Daddy?"

"In four days. You'll be at Malory Towers," Mr O'Sullivan said. "That is, if Malory Towers will accept you. If they do, I'll give you the details. Now go off and do something useful- study, that's what I used to do- Pat, finish your breakfast, and your coat needs a new button sewn on."

The twins finished their breakfast and chores (Pat making a mess of her coat before finally managing to complete her simple task) and ran out into the yard. They found their lacrosse sticks and began throwing balls to each other. They had become very good at lacrosse in their time at Saint Clare's, and now they were in the third form.

While she threw and caught the ball, Pat sulked.

"I don't _want _to go to Malory Towers," she whined. "Why couldn't it have been Sky Hill that burnt down? Anyhow, I won't try a bit at Malory Towers. The O'Sullivan twins are going to be SOMEBODIES! All the mistresses..."

"Pat, don't behave like we did at first at Saint Clare's," Isabel interrupted. "You _know _how we were called the stuck-up twins, and I hated that! We should try to go and _like _the school while we're there. It'll make the time much more pleasant for _both _of us!"

"Why should I? I shall do as I please," Pat retorted.

"But Pat!" Isabel urged. "If _you _behave badly, then they'll think that _I'm _not well behaved either. And what about Hilary and Janet and Kathleen? They think so much of us, and we don't want to disgrace Saint Clare's. I mean, what will they think of us when we get back? I might have agreed with you, when I didn't know what a mistake it was to decide to dislike a school before you even see it. Evidently, from what happened before, you didn't learn anything. I don't want to have to..."

"I SHALL DO AS I PLEASE!" Pat repeated loudly. "Do what you like, Isabel! I won't listen! It will be nice to have some freedom, instead of having you tagging along after me all the time."

"Don't be nasty, Pat!" Isabel whined.

"I'm sorry, Isabel," she said, her anger smouldering down, as though her fire had been put out, and a puff of smoke had erupted from her ears, clearing her mind. It was not the first time she had yelled at her sister, taking her anger out on her when she hadn't done anything.

"I see your point. I was a real idiot. Maybe I should follow your example..." she began her long apology, when:

"Pat! Isabel! You're going to Malory Towers, for sure, we've decided. Come in!"

The twins took their shoes off and ran indoors.

"We just rang Miss Grayling, the principal of Malory Towers. You'll be in the second form," Mrs O'Sullivan smiled. "Won't you like it?"

"The second form, mother?" Isabel asked. "But we're in the third! Surely, there's been some mistake?"

"No," Mr O'Sullivan said. "You're a little behind, I must say. Your grammar is atrocious! And have you seen your maths?! I was mighty _ashamed _of you two when I had to explain your marks to the Grayling!"

"I say!" Pat cried indignantly. "We'll show them! We should be in the _fourth_! We're much cleverer than any of those silly Malory Towers girls! The O'Sullivan twins are going to be SOMEBODIES! All the mistresses..."

"Oh Pat, don't be silly- look at the way Mother and Daddy are staring at you!" Isabel said.

"Oh, shut up, let me finish," Pat said rudely, her old anger flaming up inside her again. "All the mistresses are going to sit up and..."

"Patricia O'Sullivan! You will go to Malory Towers and try your best!" And from the way he said it, the twins knew that the decision was final.

***

It wasn't long before Pat and Isabel were pulling on their coats and hats over their orange and brown tunic that was the uniform of Malory Towers. They grabbed their night cases and clambered into the car.

"Is everyone in?" Mr O'Sullivan asked, and they were off.

It was not long before Miss Potts, the head of the first form, ordered everyone into their carriages. As there were no places left in the carriages with their teachers, Pat and Isabel clambered into the nearest North Tower carriage.

Malory Towers sorted their girls into four groups, North, East, West and South Towers. In each tower there was a dormitory for each form, and in the buildings joining the towers together were the classrooms and common rooms. Pat and Isabel would be in North Tower with Doris and Janet. Kathleen and Hilary would be in South Tower.

Pat spent the train journey staring out of the window. Darrell Rivers and her best friend Sally Hope sat chattering together. Janet and a girl named Alicia exchanged stories of tricks they had played on mistresses. Doris and Irene, who always lost her health certificate, giggled about the strange, forgetful things they had done in the past. Kathleen paired up with timid Mary-Lou, and Hilary talked to everyone. Isabel disliked the behaviour of her twin.

"Don't be an idiot, Pat," she said.

Pat ignored her twin and went on staring out the window.

"Alright, then, sulk if you like," Isabel said, and turned to a girl named Gwendoline Mary, or Gwen.

Gwen was stuck-up, and silly to the Malory Towers girls. Isabel, of course did not notice, and listened to Gwen's endless tales of her boring home and family. Gwen, in exchange, thought that as Isabel never spoke a word about her own home, simply because she could not get a word in, that she lived in a beautiful mansion, and was too modest to boast about it.

And so the train journey went on, the pairs chatting to one another and getting to know one another. Then, Pat gave a cry. Looking up, Isabel realised that she was about to see her first glimpse of Malory Towers...

**_Please review! I will continue soon._**

**_By the way, helpful comments are much appreciated (and much needed)._**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Malory Towers or Saint Clares, or the characters.**

The twins were not at all surprised by the appearance of Malory Towers. It looked exactly how they had imagined it.

"It looks like a nice school," said Hilary.

"You're right," Alicia said from the corner. "Nicer than Saint Clare's, I'd say. Goodness, what's dear Gwen gotten up to now?"

Everyone turned from the building rising up on the cliff above them to Gwen, who had her arm around Isabel and was singing loudly.

"Nothing," Gwen retorted with a snort. "I'm only making the new girls feel at home," she added as the train lurched and came to a halt.

"I want to get a seat by the driver!" Irene yelled, and she and Doris were off the train and racing towards the coaches waiting to take the girls up to the school.

"Come on, twins, want to come with us?" Darrell and Sally offered.

"No," Pat said rudely, and seeing the girls' expressions, she hastily added, "No thank you, I'm fine."

"No thanks- but thank you for offering, though I'd rather go with Gwen," Isabel said, much to the delight of Gwen, who linked arms with Isabel.

"Isabel won't have much fun with Gwen!" Sally whispered.

Darrell grinned. "Should we warn her?"

Alicia overheard. "_Warning_: Gwendoline Mary Lacey is a hazard to all girls. Please stay away from her. One order mark for every person who goes near her. Thank you," joked Alicia.

"What's an order mark?" Pat inquired of Alicia.

"It's given when somebody does something bad or naughty. The order mark is against the whole form, and if too many are given out to one form, some punishment will be incurred- perhaps they'll miss out on a show or something," Alicia explained.

"That's stupid," Pat snorted. "Why against the whole form?"

"Shut up, Pat. If you want to keep criticizing the school's traditions, then leave before you get us all order marks!" Darrell said.

***

The Malory Towers second form common room was neat and tidy when, after a delicious supper, the second formers burst into it for the first time. Janet, Alicia, Doris, Irene and Alicia's friend Betty from West Tower soon managed to get into a mess. Doris performed her clown dance for the Malory Towers girls, before teaching Irene how to do it. Kathleen, Mary-Lou and Mary-Lou's other friend Daphne played Snakes and Ladders. Alicia, Betty and Janet took all the books off the bookshelf and build a huge tower out of them. Everyone had something to do. All except Pat.

Pat was alone, with nobody to talk to or laugh merrily with.

"Ten minutes till bedtime!" called somebody outside, strolling past.

Alicia looked thoughtful. "There're two French mistresses here at Malory Towers," she explained to the new girls. "Mam'zelle Dupont and Mam'zelle Rougier. Mam'zelle Dupont is more gullible and less strict."

"What does _that _have to do with anything?" Hilary inquired.

A mischievous light lit up in Janet's eyes.

"I know!" she exclaimed. "It means she's easier to play tricks on. And Alicia has a trick!"

"I say," said Sally. "What trick have you got up your sleeve _this _time, Alicia?"

"Well- I was just _telling_ the new girls. I don't actually _have_ a trick," Alicia admitted.

Everyone turned to Betty.

"Me? I don't have one either!" Betty said.

At this, they all turned to Janet, thinking that she was their last hope for a trick.

"I'm sorry girls. I don't have a trick either," Janet said in despair.

"But I _do_!" said Darrell, leaping into the air. "All those tricks we've done in previous times have been tricks someone created _to be _tricks. It's a little hard to understand, but just think. Let's create our own trick, out of the things we have here."

"That's a new idea," said Daphne, "but it's a good one."

"Will it work?" Irene asked with uncertainty.

"And shouldn't we make a plan first?" Isabel asked.

"I know," Pat said suddenly.

"What?" everyone said, looking up at the girl who had been so rude to them earlier. What idea could Pat have for the trick?

"What's Mam'zelle Dupont's favorite fruit?" Pat asked.

"Er.... apples?" said a girl called Jean.

Sally frowned. "But Pat, what can you do with an apple?"

"Well, apples, either red or green, can keep appearing on Mam'zelle's desk in every lesson," Pat said, her eyes sparkling. "Each time, there can be something different with the apple. Say, the first time, we write, 'Mam'zelle, eat me! Eat me!' on the apple, and she'll get a surprise!"

A girl named Ellen produced a tin. "How many apples do we need?" she asked.

"Get four," Pat said. "We'll do three tricks, and the fourth can be a spare. If we don't need the spare, then we can put it on Mam'zelle's desk, just a normal apple, and she won't eat it!"

"Good. Everyone put in some money, and I'll go buy the apples tomorrow," Ellen said.

Another new girl, not from Saint Clare's, who the girls had not noticed before, now spoke.

"So the first apple has writing on it," she said.

"Who are you?" Gwen demanded.

"I'm Peggy," said the girl. She got up and went over to her shelf, where she produced a rosy red apple. "We can use this for the final trick, where it's a normal apple," she said, not realizing that the girls had all noticed her slight limp. "Mam'zelle won't be able to resist."

"Peggy, you've got a limp," Mary-Lou said shyly.

"Oh, it's nothing. So the first one has the writing...."

The group spent the last ten minutes creating a little chart in Darrell's notebook. It looked like this:

1st Apple= 'Mam'zelle, eat me, eat me!'

2nd Apple= Tie string to stem, Alicia hold string. Mam'zelle pick up apple, Alicia jerk string.

3rd Apple= Rubber worm on side of apple.

4th Apple= Normal, irresistible apple.

The girls were pleased with their plan.

"Golly!" Peggy whispered as they lay in bed. "The first night and we have a trick already!"

***

The next day, in break, Ellen ran out to buy the apples. Then, Jean wrote, 'Mam'zelle Dupont, eat me, eat me!' on it. French class would be after break. They set the apple on Mam'zelle's desk in great excitement, and after break, they all stood beside their desks. All eyes were fixed on the apple. Then Mam'zelle walked in.

They all sat down and greeted her. Then she saw the apple. She looked around with pleased eyes, and the girls stifled giggles.

"Ah, an apple for meeee!" she beamed. "Ah, you generooster English girls," she sighed, and picked up the apple. "No treeks this term, oui?"

"Generous, Mam'zelle," Alicia corrected.

"Whateveer!" Mam'zelle grinned again. "Now, shall I eat this apple, with you here?"

"What's that written on the back, Mam'zelle?" Darrell asked innocently.

Mam'zelle turned the apple around and gave a loud exclamation.

"Now we'll have some fun!" Peggy whispered.

_Please review!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Malory Towers, Saint Clare's or any of their girls. But I do own Peggy.**

**Also, thank you SOOOOO much to all my kind reviewers. Especially my first ever reviewer Cat2772, and Nonnimus, my longest reviewer. I got great enjoyment reading it. But also, all those other wonderful and kind people who encouraged me, including Jazzy-Kid, Libellius (sorry if that's not how you spell it) and Lady Eleanor...**

**Please, also tell me which of these you would like best:**

**-The diary of Mam'zelle Dupont  
-The diary of Miss Greyling  
-The diary of someone else, please tell me who  
-Or, the famous... The diary of IRENE!**

**Oh yes, thanks Phas for editing. Please read my dear sister's story, the fifth form again at malory towers, if you can.**

**ENJOY!**

**Chapter Three**

"It is a speaking dapple!" Mam'zelle cried with her eyes wide with fear.

"_Apple_, not dapple, Mam'zelle," Alicia corrected.

"Apple, dapple, it is the same thing," Mam'zelle retorted. "It wishes to eat me!"

"No, Mam'zelle," Darrell sighed, irritated by the confused French mistress, "The apple wants _you _to eat _it_!"

"It can talk! I do not eat talking dapples!" Mam'zelle was staring at the apple and wringing her hands in despair.

At this, Miss Parker, the second form mistress, entered the room, and said, "What is this noise and commotion? What are these _dapples _you so loudly speak of, Mam'zelle? Alicia, why are you giggling so? Darrell, Sally, what is so funny? Irene, take that handkerchief out of your mouth at once! On second thought, don't, because you'll just give one of your terribly loud and disgusting snorts! Oh, what a madhouse!"

"The apple, Miss Parker, it speaks!" Mam'zelle cried.

But Miss Parker just glared at Alicia.

***

The next exciting thing happened whilst the second formers were in the common room. Doris and Irene were doing the clown dance together, having made a second version of it. Then, a third former the girls knew was named Moira poked her head around the door.

"Girls, you know that the fifth formers are doing a play, a pantomime, really, and they're going to cast, apart from many girls from the fifth, two girls from every other form! Isn't it wonderful? The auditions are on the Monday, so you have two days to practice your lines. There's a school assembly on Tuesday announcing the cast. There, that's my message. I hate sending messages to other forms, especially higher forms! The lower forms, at least you can make them look up to you..." Moira left mumbling to herself.

"How exciting!" said Isabel.

"I know," Gwen added dreamily. "I'm sure I'll get a part!"

Isabel looked at Gwen with scorn. She disliked the stuck-up girl, now, ever since she had gotten a photo of her house from Pat and shown Gwen, who had immediately left her. Now, she could easily see what she had been blinded from when she had liked Gwen. She could see the scorn, the meanness and spitefulness, the stuck-upness and the selfishness, all of which Isabel despised in a person.

"I doubt it, Gwen," Janet sighed, adding, "you're too fat!"

Gwen's mouth dropped open. "You're far too bold, Janet! You just give your false opinions on people just to hurt their feelings!"

"But Gwen," Alicia said with sarcastic mournfulness, "You _are _fat- well, not fat, but fatt_ish_, I suppose!"

"You're all nasties!" was all Gwen said before storming out of the room.

"Well," Peggy said, "I must say I'm looking forward to our next apple- I mean, _dapple_, treek!" She emphasised the _dapple_ and the _treek_.

"Yes," Darrell said, "But perhaps we should wait a while before we play it, all right?"

***

The girls were excited and went to the auditions as planned. Then it was assembly time. They gathered in the huge hall and sat down. There were some of the usual announcements, and then, "Maria Poppers here is the fifth form head girl. She and some others have chosen two girls from each form excluding the fifth to be in their pantomime, 'Sleeping Beauty-'"

"I can't stand Sleeping Beauty!" Alicia groaned.

Darrell grinned. "Oh well; it'd be fun to act in it anyway. I wonder who..."

Maria stood up and said, "At this assembly we will be announcing the names of the students who will be acting in the pantomime for the Christmas entertainment. Also, will these students please come to my study after assembly? I will send someone to tell you to come. That will be your last chance to drop out of the committee if you wish."

"Who'd want to drop out?" Darrell said longingly.

The names were announced from the first, and there was a great deal of cheering.

"Wow! Good on you, Fiona!" someone yelled.

"Yes, Georgina! You got it! Well done, old girl!"

There were also some sobs.

"Don't worry, Jessie, maybe next time!"

"Don't cry! You weren't feeling well yesterday, that's all."

Then, the names for the second form were announced.

"From the second form, we have chosen-"

Darrell's heart fluttered. She wanted that part. She wanted it more than anything in the world. She felt an awful flash of nerves, but she bit her lip and waited.

"Da..."

Darrell grinned. She was so happy. So pleased. So proud. What would her parents say? Would they be as happy as she was with her great achievement? But then, was there another 'Da...' in the second form? Darrell took a deep breath.

"Sorry," Maria said suddenly, apologetically, "Peggy Smarter from North Tower! Congratulations Peggy!"

Peggy blushed and beamed.

"Well done, Peggy!"

"You're a great actress; I know you'll make us all proud!"

"Good work, Peg!"

"And the final person from the second form..."

The air was tense. Darrell's heart skipped a beat. Was there _any_ chance left? If there was, she would be sure to grasp it. The silent suspense slipped through the air, startling every second former in turn. Then Maria smiled. It was a lovely smile- not a _fake_ smile, like dear Gwen's, who was now sitting beaming around as though she thought she knew that she was going to get a part, but a real, happy smile of pleasure and pride, for the people acting in the pantomime.

"And anyway," thought Darrell, "If I don't get the part, it is only a little pantomime, and there'll be others... I hope."

"Sally Hope! Congratulations Sally!" Maria cried.

Sally reached over in excitement and gave Darrell a hug. But to her shock, her friend pushed her away.

"I know you're disappointed Darrell, but there'll be other ones!" Sally said consolingly.

"You can say that- _you've_ gotten a part that I _so dearly _wanted!" Darrell sulked. She was acting worse than Gwen, who had simply stuck her nose in the air and said haughtily, "Next time I'll show them!"

Darrell was filled with sudden horror. Sally had turned away from her. Darrell's sweet thoughts and pride for her friend had been replaced by jealously. And envy.

Envy.

Darrell shuddered. She hated the word. Spite, envy, all the things she had just had flashing inside her, she hated. She shuddered again and turned away from the excited chatter around her. It would be easy enough to make up with Sally... but the sad look in her friend's clear eyes made Darrell slightly doubtful.

Just slightly.

***

Sally was not surprised to see Darrell come up and make a quick apology, before hurrying off. Sally knew that she was embarrassed.

Suddenly a head poked around the door; Moria again. "The girls in the pantomime have to go to Maria's office," she said and left.

Sally and Peggy stood up, and Sally flashed Darrell a smile. To Darrell's relief she was able to easily smile back. Sally left the room, Peggy limping along beside her.

"Peggy," Sally said, when they were walking down the long hallway to where a cluster of girls were chattering outside Maria's office, "Why do you have a limp?"

"I... I was.... I... w-w-w-as... I was born.... I was born with it," Peggy said with much hesitation. It was at this moment that Darrell skidded up the hall after them.

"Peggy! Sally!" she yelled.

Peggy limped over to Darrell and Sally came over. Darrell handed Sally a script. "Moira dropped this off- a little late," she said. "Come on, Peggy; come with me to get yours."

The girls set off back to the common room. As they neared the door, Darrell asked, "Peggy, if you don't mind me asking, why do you have a limp?"

Peggy glanced around, and then replied, "When... when... when I was... little I... I broke my... um... my leg.... and it never healed properly."

"Oh, poor you," said Darrell, handed her the script, which Mary-Lou passed through the door, and left.

***

Sally and Peggy were listening intently. There was all the usual stuff about a pantomime, but then Maria came to the real point of the meeting:

"Does anybody want to drop out?"

Nobody did, of course.

"Now remember, every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday are rehearsal days. Okay?"

"Okay."

Everybody left very happily, and Peggy and Sally began to study their scripts. Sally had to go to the bathroom, and Peggy began to go back to the common room.

Before, Mary-Lou had seen Peggy's distinct limp and ran to help her.

"Why do you have a limp?" she asked, unable to contain her curiosity.

"Well, I was born with one leg shorter than the other... no, sorry... I fell off a horse last year..."

Peggy hurried off in the direction of the bathroom, her face red with embarrassment.

Mary-Lou went back, Sally having arrived just before her.

"Poor Peggy," Mary-Lou said, "She fell off a horse last year, or she was born with one leg shorter than the other or something."

"I thought that she broke her leg when she was little and it never healed properly," said Darrell, but Sally shook her head.

"No," she said, "She was _born_ like that."

And so the argument continued.

Darrell listened on, but slowly her mind drifted and she began to think about the term's happenings. There had been so much to do already, and there was so much more to do! She wanted a chance to talk to Pat, Isabel and Kathleen. She had heard enough of Janet already!

The term would be exciting, what with a pantomime, an apple trick, and the mystery about Peggy's limp.

What fun!

**Please, please review. PLEASE!  
Oh yes, there will be a special mention of all who review every chapter at the end of the story.**

**I know I seem very desperate, but I'm also VERY grateful.**

**Dol-99**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Malory Towers, Saint Clare's or any of the characters except Peggy and Maria.**

**THANK YOU!!!**

**Thank you all kind reviewers. Especially those who gave me ideas (I could pretty much say all of you) and helpful comments; that's what I need and want. Thanks Phas for helping me post and stuff, and Nonnimus, I was delighted when I read your review. I read it four times. But thank you all!!**

**You may not like this chapter as much- I did it in one day in comparison to two or three days. Thank you A for Antechinus for telling me about the skipping to different places thing- I'm trying to do it and I think if I CAN do it it will make a big difference to my story.**

**Please, if you have not read The Fifth Form again At Malory Towers, please read it. It is by my wonderful sister Phasmidfan, and I mean it, it's one of the BEST STORIES IN THE WORLD! **

**Now, in case you're bored of my author's notes, READ ON AND ENJOY!!! :)**

**Dol-99**

"Good radish!" cried Mam'zelle.

Half the class was frowning because of the failed trick, Mam'zelle Dupont having given them an order mark, two order marks, in fact, because she had received a reasonably large shock when the 'dapple' she had found on her desk was jerked away from her with a string Alicia had been holding, and the other half were trying not to let themselves smile at Mam'zelle's mistake.

"You have gotten two order marks," boomed Mam'zelle, "and I say, good radish!"

Even Alicia was shrinking back in her seat, because she was plotting revenge in her clever mind, but Janet sat up and boldly said, "Its good _riddance_, not good radish," and the ready-to-snort Irene stifled a laugh.

"I do not care," Mam'zelle retorted, baring her yellow teeth fiercely, "because you have been given order marks. Do you not care about _that_?"

Janet looked thoughtful. "We're still going to the concert; one- well, two- order marks won't change that," she said.

"Ah," said Mam'zelle, dragging suspense into the words, "But you _won't _be going to the concert. If you behave like this, then I feel you are not...." she paused. "...._mature_ enough to go to this concert. I feel so proud, talking as Miss Potts would!"

Doris and Kathleen groaned. How silly of Janet to bring up the concert! If she hadn't then perhaps they would still be going.

"Now, if there is one more _treek_," Mam'zelle said severely, "Between now and the concert...."

Here the class expected and hoped to hear, "You won't be going," because it meant there was still some hope of actually going, and their hearts leapt with nervousness and fluttered with excitement, but Mam'zelle continued, "Then you will write French verbs out the whole time. But I am kind, ah, I am verrrrry kind, and I think that not going will be punishment enough. Tomorrow you will have Mam'zelle Rougier! But still I say, good radish!"

Then there was a terrible silence, where nobody knew what to say or do, and it hung in the air like a cloud, ready to burst at any moment. And the person to burst it was Mam'zelle.

"Class is dismissed," she said, "And I let you out early so that you can think over your _abominable _behaviour..." here Pat and Isabel giggled, but, of course, into their handkerchiefs, "and you can also discuss your punishment. It is a just punishment, too. Now go!"

The class filed out of the room, and chatter began in the common room, because now it was Break.

"I _don't _believe you, Janet," Darrell cried angrily, "Fancy reminding Mam'zelle of the concert!"

"It wasn't her fault," Kathleen said, and frowned, "_You _might have well been the one in her place, Darrell!"

"But still, now we've all got to stay back," Pat said, from her corner.

"Oh, shut up, you," Alicia ordered. "It was partly my fault, but also Darrell's fault for creating the trick. You'll remember that if you look back."

Irene's other friend Belinda caught Pat's scowl, and hurriedly sketched it. Gwen was fuming with anger as well, having particularly wanted to go to the concert, and Belinda sketched her too. She and Irene fell back, laughing.

"How can you laugh at a time like this?" the red-faced Gwen demanded. "Thanks to all of you, I'm missing a wonderful _concert _here!"

"Do we care about you, Gwen?" Darrell sighed. "Sally, Peggy, look at the time. You've got to go to rehearsal. See you afterwards!"

***

"Look here, Gwendoline Mary Lacey," said Maria sharply from her place, "Stop coming whining to me asking for a part in the pantomime. Okay?"

"No," said Gwen. "I was a born actress, and singer, and just _one _line at least, and I'll stop complaining."

Moira turned to Maria and grinned. "Let her embarrass herself and sing a song," she said.

Maria nodded. "Look, at this part, sing a song that you have to write yourself, and get that Irene girl to write the music. You know, I badly wanted to choose... what's her name... Doris, she's such a good actress, but then I wanted sensible Sally to have a go."

"Fine," Gwen said, and was gone.

"Peggy," Maria called to Peggy, who was singing a song, "Your character doesn't have a limp."

"I know," said Peggy, "but I have a limp. I can't help it."

Maria smiled. "Okay then," she said. "Sally, here's your part."

The rehearsal continued smoothly, Maria dismissing the group when the play had been practised several times. When Sally and Peggy returned to the common room, they were itching to tell about Gwen, who had probably told everyone anyway.

"Did you hear about Gwen?" Sally asked.

Doris nodded. "Irene's going to write the song too. The words, I mean. Well, we'll be having a break from lazy old Gwen, then."

Everyone beamed, the concert forgotten, and they went excitedly to their next lesson- art. After art there was grammar and English, followed by supper. The rest of the night was free.

"Look here, girls," came a snooty, all too familiar voice. Gwen. "I'm going to sing you my song, and Irene here will play the piano. I'll be sight reading. It's about a girl called Gwendoline. Not named after me, of course, I'm far too _modest_. Ready, Irene?"

"Yup!" Irene sat down at the piano and played a twinkling introduction. Then the high pitched voice wrecked it, ruined it:

"There is a girl, I know!

With big blue eyes,

And golden hair that flows,

The one that I despise.

She's rather fat,

And hard to bear,

When she's in the street,

People stop and stare.

_She's snooty, stuck-up and vain,_

_But in all, she's rather plain,_

_She ate all the biscuits in the biscuit tin,_

_And her name is, G-wendoline!_

People think that it serves her right,

If, by her own intention,

She gets into a fight,

Mostly just to get attention.

But who, you ask, is this beast?

Who will eat and eat and eat?

Who's always having a feast?

And who has stink-y feet?

_She's snooty, stuck-up and vain,_

_But in all, she's rather plain._

_She ate all the biscuits in the biscuit tin,_

_And her name is, G-wendoline!_

_She's fat but she thinks she is thin!_

_Her name is Gwen-doline!"_

Gwen bowed and all the girls clapped. Not for the terrible singing, but for the words of the song, which Gwen had not realised were made to describe her. It was hilariously funny to watch her sing all the things she was, without realising.

"They'll love it, on the night!" Isabel cried.

"Sing it again!" cried Belinda, who, with Doris, had fallen against the piano, and were laughing crazily.

"Yes, do!" everyone shouted.

So Gwen sang it again, and again, and was only too proud to see and hear the amusement of the other girls.

And so the term goes on, with half term coming up in the next week, a lacrosse match as well, with Kathleen, Pat and Isabel, and a whole school pantomime rehearsal.

Isn't there a lot to look forward to?

**Ah yes, my song, it was great fun writing but to you maybe not so much reading. Tell me what you think.**

**Thanks again reviewers! Review more! :)**

**Also, please tell me whose diary I should do.**

**I might do in between chapters of the diary. If you want.**

**Till the next chapter,**

**Dol-99**


	5. Chapter 5

**Yup!!!!!!!!!**

**Sorry I haven't posted for ages and ages. I had this chapter ready and waiting...**

**Thanks for your reviews. REALLY thank you. Looks like Nonnimus is going to get the special thank you for the LONGEST REVIEW award, but from what I can see, no-one can possibly write such a nice long review as that!**

**But thanks again.**

**Here it is, I won't keep you waiting, read on!**

**Oh yeah, thanks Phas for editing!**

Half term came up quickly, and it seemed almost impossible to Darrell, Isabel and Pat that half a term had already gone by. As usual, the day began bright and sunny, without a cloud in the sky.

"What fun we shall have today!" Alicia cried as she dressed.

The parents could start coming at twelve o'clock, and at twelve thirty the whole school- and their parents- would gather in the big hall and awards would be handed out to the students who had done particularly well in previous weeks. Then everyone could go to lunch and do other things with their parents. At two o'clock, there would be the swimming tennis games and other things for the parents to watch, but they didn't have to go. At three o'clock the parents would stat leaving, and they all had to be gone by four o'clock. That would be the day.

"I wish it started earlier," Darrell said. "Then there would be more time to spend with our parents. I _know _that the morning will drag on, and then when the excitement comes it will all flash by."

"Oh well," said Peggy, and she added with a giggle, "The suspense is all part of it."

The girls dressed and ate a quick breakfast. Then they had the whole morning off.

"It should start at ten," Mary-Lou said. "Hi, Peggy, I heard you're parents aren't coming; want to come out with me? My parents are coming, this time. It's the first time ever that they've come and I want to show them that I _do_ have some friends. Will you come?"

Peggy nodded in excitement. "Certainly. That would be lovely, actually. My- well- nobody can come-"

"What about your mother and father?" Mary-Lou asked.

"I don't have a mother," Peggy said shortly. "Or a father. I'm adopted."

Mary-Lou was rather taken aback, but she smiled broadly. "Well, we're going to the circus. You _know _it came to town. Some of the other girls will be there, I'm sure, but my mother bought a ticket for her, me and a friend."

"Wonderful!" Peggy cried, "but I have to go and re-do my hair. It really is a mess." She limped off to re-do her hair, on the way meeting who else but Gwen.

"I say," Gwen said. "My mother and my governess Miss Winter- my mother is always wonderfully dressed- are coming. My mother wants me to bring out a friend. We're going to the circus. Will you come?"

"Thank you for offering Gwen, but I'm already going out with someone," and Peggy tried to move on.

"Who?" Gwen demanded.

"Mary-Lou. She really wanted me to go out with her."

"That coward?" Gwen looked shocked. "But the circus!"

"She's going to the circus too, and me and her mother. And what fun do you think I would have with you? I'd say _you're_ a coward, not Mary-Lou. She may be scared of the water, but so are you!" Peggy retorted.

"You don't go into the water either!" Gwen cried.

"I have a leg problem," Peggy snorted and walked off.

***

"Hello everyone," Miss Grayling said. "Well, half term has come, and I heartily welcome you to our school. We are going to present the first form certificates last, as they are showing their parents around, so here are the second form awards.

The academic achievement award was a tie. In first place there is Peggy Miller and Alicia Jones. The effort award goes to Darrell Rivers!"

There was a round of applause.

The other awards were handed out, Pat and Hilary getting awards as well. They went up and got them, and were so happy and proud that they didn't even hear the other names of the people from other forms being called out.

***

"What a glorious day!" Isabel declared.

Her parents smiled. They were pleased with Isabel's enthusiasm about Malory Towers, though they knew she loved Saint Clare's.

"What do you think, Pat?" Mrs O'Sullivan asked.

"What, the day, the school or the sandwiches?" Pat giggled. "The day and the sandwiches are great, I say!"

"What about the school?"

"It's fine... I suppose."

_And whilst all this was going on, Darrell and Sally were sitting with Mr and Mrs Rivers._

"Daddy, a school called Saint Clare's burnt down you know, and some girls had to come to Malory Towers. There's a girl named Pat. She's very obstinate-"

"And grumpy," Sally added.

"Yes, _and _grumpy. Then her twin, Isabel is really quite nice. And Hilary is straightforward and sensible. But she loves fun. There's Janet, quite like Alicia, and Kathleen, who loves animals!" Darrell said.

"And Doris," said Sally. "She's a laugh. She does this hilarious clown dance, and once, she told us that when she was in the first, she was doing it in the middle of a midnight feast, and she crashed into a dresser. My, the teacher came running. Hilary suggested it was mice, and the teacher didn't believe them, evidently, but let them come through anyway!"

"A midnight feast," Darrell said. "We haven't had one yet. We must have one soon."

But while all this happy talk and conversation was going on, and many girls were at the circus, Doris, Hilary and Kathleen were receiving some awful news from Mrs Gregory, Kathleen's mother.

"It really is quite devastating," Mrs Gregory said. "Mrs Theobald was in an accident."

"Oh dear!" Hilary cried. "Is she getting better?"

Mrs Gregory nodded, much to the girls' relief. "But there's something else," she said. "Due to that and lack of money, the re-building of Saint Clare's was delayed. And they said that if it is delayed for three more days, they'll stop re-building. They'll knock it down and build something else there."

"But that's awful!" Doris nearly choked on some carrot. "I say, is there a large chance that the building will be delayed three more days?"

"Yes, a great chance. We'll know tomorrow if it's definite."

And it was in a state of shock that the girls returned to the common room that night.

The news was spread around quickly and the girls discussed the matter as they dressed to go to bed. But there was nothing they could do.

The next morning, the news came to Darrell that yes, Saint Clare's was going to be knocked down. The news had come to her because she was not from Saint Clare's and she knew the best way to tell the girls.

"Oh dear," she said. "Saint Clare's is going to be knocked down. How awful!"

"They can't!" wailed the Saint Clare's girls.

Only Doris and Janet stood their ground. The two cheeky things had formed a plan the night before.

"We shall write to them," Janet said.

"We'll tell them about what we do there and love about Saint Clare's. We'll tell them about everything in such detail that they'll re-build it!" Doris cried.

But first, there was something much harder to do. And that was to play a 'dapple' trick on Mam'zelle Rougier.

**Dearie me, what will happen next?!  
Please review!**

**Thank you again those who reviewed! I will write another chapter soon! **


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